Today we celebrate the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. This day is an opportunity to recognize the inextricable links between protection of Indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage around the world.
Heritage comprises much more than built monuments and physical markers of history. Indigenous skills, crafts, and languages are also integral parts of personal and community histories. Around the globe, traditional knowledge systems contribute to medical and scientific advancements, bolster economic growth, and even help address climate change.
The 2019 theme for Indigenous Peoples Day is “Indigenous Languages.” This focus could not be more timely, as an estimated ninety percent of the world’s 7,000 languages risk being lost forever. Without these languages and the cultural knowledge they contain, we lose invaluable insight on our human history and cultural diversity, so vital for the well-being of our planet and communities.
For fifteen years, Global Heritage Fund has worked to protect cultural heritage throughout the world. Join us today in supporting Indigenous Peoples and celebrating the transformational power of Indigenous languages and heritage.
Artisan Wu Xingjiao is part of the ethnic minority Dong community in Dali Village,
Guizhou Province, where Global Heritage Fund is protecting historic architecture
and revitalizing traditional crafts. Photo: Zhang Li
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